I’ve only been attending Bonney Lake City Council meetings for a few months, but it’s clear to me the importance of parks and the passion, effort and energy those who advocate for the Metro Parks District (MPD) have towards making the MPD happen. Their work has been unfulfilled and as a community, I hope we’re all grateful for their selfless service.

Having said this, I oppose the creation of an MPD for reasons that extend no further than the state of our economy. I oppose raising taxes, of any sort, during this period of economic stagnation. And, the people of Washington State have echoed this sentiment by voting to affirm the two-thirds vote requirement for tax increases for a fifth time (Initiative 1185). The MPD is a local tax levy that in many ways circumnavigates what the vast majority of citizens voted for not even a month ago.

The economy, at each the federal, state and local level is still struggling. According to the Washington State Office of Financial Management, real medium income is lower today than in both 2008 and 2009 and per capita per person income is lower today than where we were in 2006.

According to the Washington State Employment Security Office, “Pierce County has been at or near the top of the list of counties in the state as far as foreclosure activity …” and Pierce County’s unemployment is higher than each King, Thurston, Yakima and Snohomish Counties.

These numbers are easy to find through state and county websites, what’s not easy to find is the impact we will all feel as tax payers when the Affordable Health Care Act (aka Obamacare) is fully implemented, and/or how Washington State legislators will fulfill the Supreme Court’s ruling mandates full-funding education (aka The McLeary Case).

For my last point, let us look no further that the revenue generating struggles of the well established, Metro Parks Tacoma. Obviously much larger than the plan the Bonney Lake Parks Board is proposing, but the issues are relevant and are not isolated to just the Tacoma area. According to an 11/24/2012 article in the Tacoma New Tribune, Metro Parks Tacoma is facing a “$7 million shortfall in its general fund budget, a gap that will require trimming positions and making cutbacks across the district.” This short fall is due in large part to “… a 9.1 percent reduction in assessed property values” and “the park district projects losing about $3.1 million in property tax revenues over the next two years.” While the Metro Parks are expecting to lose significant revenue over the next few years, “personnel costs are expected to rise by about six percent – or $2.1 million – even though the budget plan calls to decrease staffing.”

My suggestion would be to focus on priorities … and that first priority is getting people back to work by creating a “business friendly” environment at all levels of government. That starts at the local level. Streamline permitting. Create an economic recovery plan that is sustainable. Building parks comes after maintaining what you currently have and creating a base (sustainable tax base) that can support a MPD.

In conclusion, I’d ask my neighbors here in Bonney Lake to not make the same mistake in 2013 as was made almost a decade ago that brought us into this long and drawn out recession. I would ask you to contact the City Council and Mayor’s office, tell them parks are a very important part of our community, but now is not the time. Tell them that you recognize how hard so many have worked on this project for nearly ten years, but this reason alone does not justify dismissing the state of our economy. Above all, tell them to save the $25,000 it will cost to simply place this measure on the ballot and to place this money in a reserve account to improve on what we already have.